Piece of the Puzzle
by Silent Angel of Time
Summary: Lizzie looses her husband in a car accident, will she be able to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of her friends? Updated 9-20
1. Chapter 1

"Mrs. McDaniel," with the arrival of the doctor the group that had been waiting in the hospital waiting room for nearing 5 and a half hours jump to their feet.  
  
25-year-old Elizabeth McDaniel leads the group tears are all ready flowing down her cheeks as she takes in the doctor's blank expression, "is my husband all right?"  
  
"Their were complications that we didn't foresee when your husband was brought in immediately after the accident. There was nothing anyone could have done for him, I'm truly sorry." The doctor's eyes now look sad as she watches the young woman begin to crumple to the floor only to be caught my a younger male.  
  
Lizzie offers no sound as she begins to fall to the ground and Matt's arms reach instinctively reach out to keep his sister from hitting the floor as Mark McDaniel's mother's sobs ring through the waiting room.   
  
Matt is the only one close enough to hear his sister's whispered words, "no, this isn't happening. Please God don't let this be happening." Lizzie turns to face Matt tears running down her cheeks, burying her head in Matt's shoulder she grips his t-shirt tightly.  
  
"I can prescribe a mild sedative for Mrs. McDaniel to help her sleep tonight," the doctor turns toward Lizzie parents and Mark's father.  
  
Sam nods, "thank you, that would be much appreciated."  
  
Jo kneels down in front of her daughter and whispering gently suggests, "baby why don't you come home with your Dad and I, the doctor will give you something so that you can sleep."  
  
Gasping for breath Lizzie shakes her head, "I need to go home, I need to be in the home Mark and I shared, please, will someone just take me there?"  
  
Matt glances at his parents over Lizzie's head and when they nod he states, "I'll take you home Lizzie, don't worry about it." By this time Lizzie's sobs have become deeper and causing her entire body to shake, but even as she is wetting Matt's shirt her sobs are silent.  
  
Within minutes the doctor has returned with sedatives for both Lizzie and Mark's mother. "Lizzie sweetie you need to take these OK." Jo asks offering Lizzie the pills and the small cup of water.  
  
Without thinking Lizzie swallows the pills and within minutes has slumped against Matt asleep.   
  
It's daylight before Lizzie even semi regains consciousness and she can hear someone moving around quietly in the bedroom room and as she wakes up everything from the night before comes flooding back to her. Getting the call from the hospital while waiting Mark to get home from working saying that he had been hit by a drunk driver and that she needed to come to the hospital immediately with the kids..."the kids!" Lizzie exclaims sitting up in bed quickly.  
  
"Shh, Lizzie it's ok the kids are at Matt and Melina's." Miranda's reassuring voice is suddenly right beside Lizzie.   
  
Focusing on her best-friend Lizzie questions, "Mir-miranda what are you doing here?"  
  
Miranda sits on the bed gently and responds, "you're mother called on the way to the hospital and told me about the accident I caught the next flight here from New York and then you're mom told me...Lizzie I'm so sorry."  
  
"I'm not going to be able to do this Miranda, there is no way, I can...it's to hard...I can't live without him. It's like breathing, I can't breathe without him. I have nothing without him..."  
  
Miranda wraps her arms tightly around Lizzie as she whispers, "I'm going to help you get through this, OK? Whatever it takes, I'll be here for you."  
  
"I-I haven't told anyone yet, I found out yesterday, I was going to tell Mark tonight...Miranda I'm pregnant."  
  
Miranda's hand flies to her mouth, "oh Lizzie..."  
  
"I don't know what to do Miranda..." Lizzie sobs into Miranda's shoulder.  
  
"Right now we are going to take things one at a time, why don't you get a shower, you're going to feel much better if you can get a nice hot shower."  
  
Miranda listens closely as the shower starts and picks up the phone in the kitchen and dials a phone number she knows well. "Hey I'm not home right now leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."  
  
"Gordo it's Miranda, listen I'm in California, Lizzie's husband was killed in an accident, I think it would help to have you there to support her. Anyway I thought you should know, I'll talk to you later." With Miranda's matter of fact words she hangs up the phone and begins looking through Lizzie's cupboards for something for Lizzie to eat.  
  
As soon as Miranda put some soup on the stove her cell phone began ringing the tune it usually did when her husband was calling her, "I sweetie." Miranda greets.  
  
"I honey how is everything going?" Larry asks and Miranda can tell his concern for an old friend is high.  
  
"Not so well, Lizzie is a mess which is to be expected but I just don't know how to help her." Miranda sighs leaning against her counter.   
  
"How are the kids?" Larry asks, speaking of Lizzie's four kids all under the age of 5.  
  
"I don't know, I haven't seen them, their with Matt and Melina right now. Matt says they are shaken up, but she doesn't think they fully understand. She thinks the twins get it the most and Morgana gets it a little but Celestyn is oblivious. Matt said that she cried all last night for both of her parents and how much she wanted her bed. But Lizzie can barely take care of herself let alone 4 kids."   
  
"Miranda stay as long as it takes, I have everything under control here. Maddie and I aren't making to much of a mess of the house and as soon as you let me know when the funereal is we will be there. I've talked to Ethan and Veruca also, they want to be there too."  
  
"I'll let Lizzie know, I'm sure that will be really important to her." Miranda responds. "Listen honey I should get going, Lizzie's taking a shower and should be out soon, I want to see if I can get her to eat something."  
  
"All right, I love you."  
  
"I love you too." Miranda responds before hanging up. Setting her phone back in her purse Miranda stops short at the sound of a crash coming from the bathroom. Miranda rushes toward the sound to find Lizzie sprawled out on the floor. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
  
"She's fine," the ER doctor announces to Lizzie's very worried family. "To much stress in her condition causes fainting spells, she needs to keep her stress levels down. I understand her situation but it is imperative to her health as well as the health of the baby that she remains as calm as possible."  
  
"Baby," Jo sinks back into the waiting room chair, "I suspected as much."  
  
"When can she leave?" Sam asks.  
  
"She's filling out her discharge papers now, so as soon as she finishes those you can take her home. Just make sure she gets a lot of rest."  
  
"Thank you doctor." Sam murmurs.  
  
"She's pregnant?" Matt asks, "did anyone know about this?"  
  
"I didn't." Sam and Jo respond.  
  
"I did," Miranda sighs, "she just found out, she was going to tell Mark tonight."  
  
Jo's hand covers her mouth loosely as she murmurs, "my poor baby. She should come back to the house with us."  
  
Miranda shakes her head, "she wants to be in her home and I think she needs her kids. I remember when my mom died I spent most of the week afterwards at my grandparents house and all I wanted to do was be at home with my dad, and I was 15 and could understand what was going on, I can't imagine what the kids are thinking now."  
  
Lizzie's parents and brother exchange glances and Matt states, "I'll call Melina and have her take the kids to the house."  
  
Miranda nods, "I think that will help her, I can take her home as soon as they release her."  
  
Jo nods, "thank you. I've called the McDaniels, and they are taking care of the details and we're are supposed to meet them at the mortuary. Tell Lizzie not to worry about anything."  
  
Miranda nods, "I'll make sure she rests."  
  
"Are you sure you can take care of the kids?" Matt asks.  
  
"They'll be fine." Miranda responds, "they need to see their mom."  
  
Lizzie was lying down when Melina dropped the kids off at the house, "Aunt Miranda!" 3-year-old Morgana launches herself at Miranda.  
  
Miranda lifts the small blonde girl into her arms, "hi sweetie."  
  
The identical twin boys, Zane and Brice, hang outside the door, unsure of what to do. Melina stands just behind them holding year old Celestine, "Come on guys."   
  
"Where's Mommy?" Brice asks glancing around the house once he and Zane ventures into the house.  
  
"She's resting," Miranda responds.  
  
"Dada!" Celestine coos.  
  
Zane and Brice burst into tears, Brice takes off out of the living room and toward the back of the house. Zane, on the other hand, wraps his arms around Miranda's legs.  
  
"Daddy!" Morgana burst into tears then as well, currying her face in Miranda's neck. Miranda wraps an arm tightly around Morgana and then kneels to wrap another arm around Zane, "shh, it'll be all right."  
  
"Mama!" Celestine draws the attention from Morgana and Zane to Lizzie who has emerged from her room holding Brice. Lizzie looks tired and it's obvious by the red eyes and nose that she's been crying but she looks less pale then she had earlier.  
  
Lizzie kneels down and is flooded by all of her children hugging them close to her and crying quietly as she kisses each of their heads. "All right, I'm going to get going." Melina says only loud enough for Miranda to hear.  
  
Miranda nods and responds, "thanks Melina."  
  
"They're asleep." Lizzie comes into the kitchen hours later after putting the kids to bed, Miranda had offered to help but Lizzie had refused, saying she needed to do this alone.  
  
"Tea?" Miranda holds a mug out to Lizzie.  
  
"Thanks." Lizzie responds taking the mug from her and sinking into the large chair in her living room.  
  
"How're you doing?" Miranda asks, "dumb question, I know, but..."  
  
"Better," Lizzie responds, "being in the hospital and then seeing the kids made me realize that even without Mark I still have a life, I still have to raise these kids the way that would make Mark proud. I just keep telling myself that." Lizzie sets the mug down and rests her head on Miranda's shoulder, "but then there are these moments that everything is so hazy and I can't see what's going on and I don't know if I can go on."  
  
Miranda gently smooches her best friends hair, "you'll make it through. Larry and I will be here for you, if you need me to stay then I can stay. But if you need a change of scenery come to Michigan, I'm a realtor for God's sake I could find you guys a place to rent or buy or you could stay with us."  
  
Lizzie takes a deep breath, "maybe, but right now I just have to focus on getting through the next few days, the funereal, all the people, helping the kids to understand, helping myself to understand."  
  
"All right," Miranda nods, "one day at a time, that's how to approach this thing. Don't think about to many things at once, you have to avoid stress."  
  
Lizzie gives Miranda a week smile, "the doctor gave me this whole spiel all ready, I understand."  
  
"So then you'll get some rest?" Miranda asks.  
  
Lizzie nods and responds before getting up, "I'll get some rest, good night, are you sure you'll be all right on the couch?"   
  
"I'll be fine." Once Lizzie has disappeared outside Miranda slips out the backdoor, taking the phone with her. "Hi honey."  
  
"Hi Miranda." Larry greets, he sounds tired.  
  
"Did I wake you?" Miranda asks realizing it was going on midnight in Michigan.  
  
"Yeah, but it's fine." Larry responds.  
  
"I was just calling to say good night and that I love you, and to ask if Gordo called."  
  
Larry sighs, "he hasn't called, I called his office and they say he's out of the country on a shoot but his secretary said that she would get the word to him as soon as possible."  
  
Miranda sighs, "all right, thank you. I love you."  
  
"I love you to, goodnight." 


End file.
